Building on the momentum of the three-stripe trackies that dominated our wardrobes in 2023, this summer will see a renaissance of Adidas’s sporty shorts. Of course, they have been a wardrobe mainstay for years – I, for one, wear a black and white pair on repeat, whether sunbathing, gardening or running – but in 2024, the enthusiasm for sports-inspired pieces has reached fever pitch.
As per most trends, TikTok and Instagram have been instrumental in the Adidas shorts obsession. On both platforms, you’ll find styling tips and outfit inspiration aplenty, alongside archival imagery of celebrities who championed sportswear in the 1980s, 1990s and Noughties. “What is so fun is that I see all these different generations wearing these sporty clothes, and I do think, well, I had a hand in that,” Spice Girl Melanie C (Melanie Chisholm) – whose Sporty Spice wardrobe has become an iconic reference – recently told Vogue. “Look, I’m sitting here wearing Adidas poppers!”
Like Adidas’s tracksuit bottoms, there an array of Adidas shorts styles to choose from, be it Wales Bonner’s printed takes – as seen on Zendaya on the cover of British Vogue’s May 2024 issue, captured by Carlijn Jacobs – or loose-fitting versions made from satin, jersey and nylon. When it comes to colourways, meanwhile, the options are endless: expect to see red styles, like those featured in Bend It Like Beckham, as well as dark green, classic black, navy white and bright blue. There are metallic takes, similar to the silver Adidas X Ivy Park pair Beyoncé wore in British Vogue’s July 2022 issue (photographed by Rafael Pavarotti), doing the rounds right now. Consider Adidas shorts an easy staple to add to your wardrobe this summer.
